The Lagos State Government has added actor Olanrewaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, to its sex offenders register following the completion of his prison sentence.
Naijaonpoint reports that the government clarified that his release does not erase his previous convictions for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a minor.
Baba Ijesha served a five-year term after the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja found him guilty in 2022 of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
Two charges carried five-year sentences, while the remaining two carried three-year terms.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a total imprisonment of five years.
Claims circulating online saying that Baba Ijesha had been cleared of all charges were dismissed as false and misleading by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).
The agency urged the public and media outlets to ignore misinformation, warning that the dissemination of false reports could lead to legal action under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law.
The actor’s release on Friday followed the completion of his sentence as confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court had previously overturned older convictions from 2013 and 2014 but upheld the 2021 sexual assault convictions.
An appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed, and a subsequent request to file a fresh appeal was denied, leaving the convictions intact.
The case initially drew public attention after a video showing Baba Ijesha assaulting a minor surfaced in April 2021.
The victim’s foster mother, comedienne Damilola Adekoya, known as Princess, reported the incident to the police, leading to Baba Ijesha’s arrest and prosecution.
During the year-long trial, the court heard testimony from six prosecution witnesses and four defense witnesses.
The judge convicted him on four counts related to sexual assault and indecent treatment, while two charges were dismissed.
The DSVA confirmed that Baba Ijesha’s name has now been officially entered into the state’s sex offenders register as a measure to protect minors and ensure public access to accurate information.
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